Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland last Sunday. / Rick Osentoski, AP

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

by Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports

ASHBURN, Va. -- Robert Griffin III says that with the condition of his injured knee improving, he is ready to return for Sunday's crucial game at the Philadelphia Eagles. To prove it, the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback took a full complement of reps with the first-team offense during Wednesday's practice.

"I'm ready to play when they want me to play," Griffin said. "Whether it's this week, next week, four weeks. Whatever they say goes. I'll be ready."

Typically, Griffin's non-contact practice load, at what he described as "full speed," would be a good indication that he will return to the lineup after missing last weekend's victory at the Cleveland Browns with a sprained right lateral collateral ligament. Last week, backup Kirk Cousins took all of the first-team reps.

Yet the Redskins are still a bit cautious. Coach Mike Shanahan said team doctors will make the call on Griffin's status later this week.

"Hopefully, there's no setbacks, no swelling in the knee," Shanahan said. "It will be evaluated through the week. You just don't know."

Griffin declared last week that he expected to play, but the team announced on Saturday night that Cousins, a fellow rookie, would make his first NFL start -- which didn't sit well with Griffin. Cousins sparkled, passing for 329 yards and two touchdowns, demonstrating that the Redskins have a viable emergency option.

Now Griffin -- who ranks second in the NFL with a 104.2 passer rating and has accounted for 24 TDs (18 passing, six rushing) with four interceptions -- hopes to persuade the medical staff to clear him.

"I think I just have to prove it to them on the field," he said. "I'm out here running around, doing all the plays, getting all the reps. That's when they'll see. It's up to them to decide."

If it were up to Griffin?

"I always expect to play," he said.

Griffin says the knee has gradually improved and that there are no signs of weakness or instability.

"Today was very encouraging to me, the doctors, everybody," he said. "It's just a matter of time."

The Redskins (8-6) control their playoff destiny, and can win the NFC East title with victories at Philadelphia on Sunday and against the Dallas Cowboys in the regular-season finale. Griffin considers this an "awesome" opportunity for a team that has rebounded from a 3-6 record at its bye week to win five consecutive games.

"We came back from the bye with one mission, and that's the mission we're still on," Griffin said. "We control our own destiny, and we did we are supposed to do -- we won."

Now Griffin wants to pick up where he left off before the injury, suffered during a key scramble late in the fourth quarter of a Week 14 comeback victory against the Baltimore Ravens, when he absorbed a crushing hit from defensive tackle Haloti Ngata.

He insists that Wednesday's practice showed him that he is still in rhythm.

"Pierre (Garcon) told me that my arm was live today," he said. "When you don't get to throw at those guys for a week, you definitely come back a little more juiced up, ready to go. My accuracy was still there."